Currently used handles, however, are often bulky and unsightly, and to a large extent affect the design of the door.
Moreover, the user must have at least one hand free to grip and pull the handle strongly enough to open the door, e.g. to overcome the resistance of retaining members defined by magnets, which is not always possible, particularly when both hands are required to carry articles to be placed inside the appliance.
In the past, refrigerators have been produced, in which the door is detached, in opposition to the force exerted by the magnets to keep the door shut, by a pedal-operated lever. This solution, however, has since been rejected on the grounds that it failed to replace the handle, involved additional cost, and was aesthetically unsatisfactory and awkward to use.